


the world slows down, but my heart beats fast right now, i know this is the part where the end starts

by tommyshepherdd (atimeforflores)



Category: X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men Evolution
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Love Simon AU, M/M, i wrote this in two hours and it shows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-04 00:44:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14008431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atimeforflores/pseuds/tommyshepherdd
Summary: For the first half an hour of the study hall, Pietro doesn’t even realize he’s being blackmailed. Toad stealing a seat by him isn’t an oddity all of itself, though it did make Pietro uncomfortable.





	the world slows down, but my heart beats fast right now, i know this is the part where the end starts

For the first half an hour of the study hall, Pietro doesn’t even realize he’s being blackmailed. Toad stealing a seat by him isn’t an oddity all of itself, though it did make Pietro uncomfortable. 

 

It’s just another normal day at Bayville High, where Todd “Toad” Tolensky stole the computer across from him. Usually Kitty would snag it as she claimed he was good at helping her understand some of the harder coarse work, but she had to attend extra play practice whenever possible. 

 

“I read your email.” Toad croaks, leering at Pietro in a way that made him want to punch him. Vati said that if he got in one more fight that semester, however, his car would be taken away. The alternate was riding on the back of Wanda’s dirt bike to school. 

 

“What?” Pietro asks, looking up. He tried to keep his tone even, but by the way Tolensky’s grin widened, he most likely failed. 

 

“Earlier.” Toad continued, either not noticing or ignoring Pietro’s glare, “In the library. Not on purpose, obviously.”

 

Pietro didn’t think the ‘ _ obviously _ ’ was called for as Tolensky was notorious for his sticky fingers and sticking his nose where it didn’t belong. 

 

“You read my emails?” Pietro hissed, outraged. He had been so careful and felt the control slip away from him. He wanted to scream, but had already attracted enough unwanted attention. 

 

“I used the computer right after you.” Toad said, his usual nasally tone more apparent and even more aggravating. “When I tried to open Gmail, yours popped up.”

 

Pietro doubted that turn of events as he had always double and then triple checked that he was logged out. 

 

“Quicksilver is a pretty dumb pen name.” Toad continued, totally oblivious to Pietro’s mounting anger. 

 

Pietro counted to ten before exhaling, promising himself to not say anything that might bite him in the ass. “What do you want?”

 

Toad grinned even wider, finally getting the opening he was prying for, “I just think we could help each other out is all.”

 

Pietro wanted to say the only help he’d give Toad was psychiatric but decided that might hit a few nerves. 

 

If it weren’t for Spyke, Pietro would have taken Tolensky in the back and showed him exactly what he thought of that deal. He would have thrown the greasy teen back into the dumpster where he belonged and not have thought of the situation again. 

 

Spyke had stressed how his life had been changed enough without his consent and Pietro wasn’t about to be another upheaval. There were no details that could show who their true identities were, but the content still felt private and intimate. If Spyke thought there was even the chance of them being exposed, he’d disappear. 

 

And Pietro couldn’t have another person disappear on him. 

 

“Being gay is like the hottest new thing anyways.” Toad continues, oblivious as ever, “The chicks dig it, man. And a guy like you being off the market...well, that leaves more ladies for me.”

 

Toad licks his lips in a lewd gesture. Pietro stares stonily back, crosses his arms and huffing out an angry sigh. 

 

“Whatever.” Toad finally says after he realises Pietro won’t respond, “I won’t show anyone.”

 

“ _ Show  _ anyone?” Pietro immediately demands, hands curling into fists. If that piece of shit did what he thinks he did-

 

Toad swallowed nervously, fiddling with his fingers as if he was the one who had anything to lose. Pietro assumed Wanda would be fine with him being gay, but their father always seemed to be searching for one way or another to be disappointed in him. 

 

“It’s just, well,” Toad stutters, looking totally and utterly pathetic, “I know you hang out with Jean Grey-”

 

“Did you take screenshots or something you little freak?” Pietro interjected, trying to keep his voice low yet display his hostility. 

 

“Now, now,” Toad said, trying to be placating, “There’s no reason to be rude.”

 

Pietro had never felt more angry as the teen before him told him not to be upset that his privacy had been invaded and was threatening to out him if he didn’t help him with a girl. 

 

Something inside Pietro snapped, causing him to pick the smaller teen up by the straps of his book bag, pushing chairs to the side to shove him into the wall and shake him down. 

 

“You don’t get to come in here and tell me what to feel.” Pietro spat out through gritted teeth. “You don’t get to threaten to out me and act like we’re just having a friendly chat. You listen to me, and get it through your thick skull; I will not help you and your freaky stalker issues, I will not be your puppet to sabotage my friends, and I sure as hell will not let you decide my future for me. Release the emails if you want, I promise that I will ruin your life.” 

 

He left Toad in a puddle of might have been his own piss, the other boy just as angry at having his plans foiled. 

 

Pietro later knew that he should have kept his mouth shut. 

 

…

 

“Everyone’s sayin’ that you spooked Tolensky during study hall today.” Anna Marie told him through her half chewed meat loaf. It was dinner time, and as was tradition, they were supposed to tell the adults about their day. Not like Mystique didn’t hear about most of their shit from other students and faculty members, however.

 

“So, what?” Pietro said, stabbing his meatloaf with more force than needed. Nothing had shown up on the Bayville Archives yet, but that wasn’t to mean that it would stay that way. Toad was an especially vengeful type. 

 

Vati cleared his throat, making Pietro feel like shit with a quirk of his eyebrow. Nothing was ever good enough for him, and that was why Pietro would never be able to share something as vital as that secret with him. 

 

“Creep probably deserved it.” Wanda snorted into her green beans, her ear glittering with yet another piercing. It seemed that no matter how far she pushed their father, he never expressed his anger towards her. Just at Pietro. Always at Pietro. “Kitty found him ‘lost’ in the girl’s locker rooms just the other week.”

 

Pietro could imagine how Kitty would have handled that- probably with her high heeled shoe or her pepper spray. Pietro wished he could have seen it. 

 

“What was the altercation about?” Mystique asked, staring at Pietro from over her oval glasses. Pietro thought she just wore them to look more severe.

 

“The little freak was sniffing around Jean. I told him to stop it.” Pietro answered simply, blowing a strand of his bleached hair out of his face. He’d have to get Wanda to touch up the roots. 

 

“Ooooh,” Anna Marie drawled, “Somebody’s got a crush.” 

 

“Yeah.” Pietro agreed with quirked lips. Just not on Jean.

 

…

 

Mystique and Anna Marie had lived with the Lehnsherr’s ever since Pietro could remember. Some time after their mother skipped town but before they started school. They always knew that Anna Marie wasn’t Mystique’s biological daughter as the younger girls light skin in no way matched Mystique’s deep brown one, nor did their features. 

 

Pietro’s father had always been distant- had always felt unapproachable. As Pietro got older, he felt it more and more. His father was on the other side of a large chasm that Pietro could not jump without falling in, and most likely to his death. 

 

For the longest time it was just Wanda and Pietro against the world, backs pressed together as they took on anything thrown at them. 

 

When Pietro had found Spyke on the Bayville Archives, it was like he could breathe again though he wasn’t even aware that he holding his breath. The other boy was hilarious, and intelligent, and so many things that Pietro had been waiting for. 

 

Pietro had shared so many things that he had hidden away from the world, so many things about himself that he thought he had lost, but the other boy’s messages had coaxed the lost side of him back out. A side that was shy, unsure of itself, yet sweet and genuine. 

 

He had been kicked off the basketball team the previous year after one too many infractions. The last fight had honestly not even been his fault, but Evan Daniels had went berserk when he thought Pietro had taken his prized necklace. Something that was reminiscent of before his parents died. It was an honest mix up of lockers. By the time that whole situation had been cleared up, Pietro had a bruised face and ego, and was unwilling to put himself back in that environment. His father had chastised him for weeks, until Pietro stopped coming home when he knew his father was there. 

 

Pietro sat in front of his laptop, shaking with silent tears as he waited for the inevitable. His life was ruined. 

 

_ I’m sorry.  _

 

Was the only thing he wrote to Spyke before he hit send, curling in on himself to help quiet his sobs. The texts started up soon after that, one from Scott saying that he needed to check the Archive, three from Jean asking if he was okay, and another few from unknown numbers offering condolences or slurs. 

 

“Can I come in?” Wanda asked from his doorway. Pietro startled, as he hadn’t heard her knock or open the door. He knew he must have looked a mess as her face softened. 

 

She held him as he cried, not questioning why he didn’t tell her. She shushed him, running her fingers through his hair. Anna Marie joined them soon after, and the three of them fell asleep curled up in Pietro’s bed. They used to always sleep in the same room as kids but as they got older they claimed it wasn’t as cool. Pietro couldn’t help but revel in their familiar comfort. 

 

Pietro woke the next morning to Mystique standing over them with her hands on her hips. He hoped desperately that the morning would not end with a lecture of what was and was not appropriate behavior. 

 

Instead, her usual stern expression also softened as she rubbed a gentle hand across his brow. He fell back asleep to her cold lips pressing against his forehead. 

 

…

 

When his alarm went off the next morning he pried his eyes open to be immediately assaulted with short hair. Wanda was still deeply asleep, as she usually was early in the morning. Anna Marie was rolling out on the other side of the bed, running to the bathroom in a predictable move. 

 

Pietro decided to risk turning his phone on, first checking his email and finding that he had no new emails, but had way too many notifications on Facebook and Instagram. He’d work through untagging himself and blocking people later. 

 

Vati was sitting at the breakfast table for the first time in months when Pietro shuffled downstairs. He looked grim. Pietro felt his eyes water as his father looked up at him and kept a blank expression. A tear ran down Pietro’s cheek as his father finally met him face on. 

 

“I fear I have made a mistake.” Erik spoke, his words cutting through Pietro like a knife. Pietro curled more in on himself, trying to mask the sob desperately trying to force its way out. “For letting you think that I would ever stop loving you. Pietro, the day you were born was the happiest of my life. Don’t you ever think that anything could change that. I am sorry that I could have led you to believe that love is conditional.”

 

Pietro felt the last of his defenses crumble as his father held his arms open, embracing him for the first time in years. 

 

…

 

The drive to school was more subdue than usual. Pietro usually picked up Scott and Jean on the way but Anna Marie had texted them to find alternate ways to school that morning. She and Wanda claimed him, acting as human shields. 

 

As they exited the car, Pietro could hear hoots and hollers as they neared the building. Fred made a crude gesture at him before he was dragged away by a furious Vice Principal Darkholme. Pietro would have to thank her later. 

 

As they neared his locker, he could see Coach Logan scrubbing at it. It seemed that somebody had decided to graffiti a few choice words onto it. 

 

“Give me a second, bub.” Logan grunted out, finishing scraping what he could off of it. Pietro could still read the message loud and clear, however. 

 

“Pietro?” A nasally voice spoke up from behind him. “Can I talk to you?”

 

“Fuck off, Tolensky.” Pietro snapped back, ignoring the ‘ _ watch your fucking mouth, junior _ from Coach Logan. Wanda and Anna Marie had been told the truth the night before, and they both looked ready for the kill. 

 

“I-I just wanted to say I’m sorry.” He stuttered, “For what it’s worth.”

 

“It’s not worth anything.” Pietro replied, anger raising again, “You fucking outed me.”

 

They were garnering a crowd. Pietro could see Scott and Jean through the throngs of people, approaching at a fast pace. 

 

“I didn’t think it would be like this.” Toad spoke, as if it mattered. 

 

“You didn’t think is right.” Pietro snapped back, getting louder as he spoke, “You only thought about yourself and your own pathetic life with no regards for others. You threw a temper tantrum because I wouldn’t let myself be blackmailed into hopelessly attempting to get you with a girl who will never like you.”

 

Toad’s face crumpled as he was hit with the harsh words but Pietro wasn’t done. 

 

“You are the most disgusting creature I have ever set my eyes on,” Pietro spat, getting in the pale boy’s face, “Get over the fact that no one will ever want to date you.”

 

“Listen you fagg-” Toad’s next words were cut off by a hundred and twenty pounds of angry sister. Wanda geared up for another hit when Coach Logan grabbed her around the waist and pulled her away. She was still kicking and got a few good ones into Toad’s back. 

 

Pietro turned to face the crowd, unsurprised to see a few cameras out, “You assholes got what you came for? There’s your daily drama. Yeah, I’m gay. You voyeurs satisfied?”

 

Mr McCoy started shuffling kids off to class, but not before clasping a large hand on Pietro’s shoulder and telling him how proud he was. 

 

…

 

Like every conflict Pietro seemed to be involved with over the years, it ended with Evan Daniels. 

 

The other male cornered him during lunch, as Pietro was deciding whether he wanted to actually brave eating in the cafeteria or in Coach Logan’s classroom. 

 

“When I was five I want to grow up and be a porcupine.” He said, staring intently into Pietro’s eyes. Pietro immediately felt lost. 

 

“Fucking weirdo.” Pietro muttered to himself, trying to push past the other male. 

 

Evan had other ideas, however, grabbing him by the elbow. “One day I covered myself in double sided tape and rolled around under the pine tree. I told my parents to call me Spyke.”

 

And just like that everything fell into place. Evan lived with his Auntie O after his parents died, and Spyke lived with his aunt after his parents died. Evan excelled at math, while Spyke wanted to get a degree within the sciences. Evan’s favorite cake was oreo, and Spyke admitted to being addicted to the Halloween ones. 

 

“I thought that if I could run fast enough I could stop my mom from leaving.” Pietro admitted, leaning into Evan as Evan’s other arm came across his waist. 

 

“I wanted it to be you.” Evan whispered against his lips, kissing away the past few days of pain. 

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr is gaysupersoldiers.tumblr.com
> 
> no beta, just saw love simon and wrote this within two hours. 
> 
> comments make me write more content


End file.
